Reunion
by Chiherah-chan
Summary: Sasori never wanted to attend a High School Reunion. Kisame feels otherwise. But when he's dragged to a 20-yr Reunion, Sasori fins that an old "friend" has returned...and has changed more than he ever imagined! WARNING: YAOI! SasoDei/DeiSaso
1. Chapter 1

Auburn eyes locked onto a closed door. It seemed to conceal year's worth of memories, waiting to be released and accepted. The man pushed back his short red hair, stressed that he was forced to stand in front of the entrance because of redundant reasons, which he never would have succumbed to, if it weren't for curiosity and a compelling desire to reminisce the days of his teen years. Sasori closed his eyes and, gripping onto the metallic handle tightly, opened the door into the oversized school gymnasium.

It had been 20 years since he had last entered the gym, let alone walked in the halls of Tsukoni High School. He had received a letter in the mail by one of his closer friends, Kisame, saying that there was a reunion coming up and that he should attend. Kisame stated that the majority of their old High School group of friends--which had been un-officially called Akatsuki for some unknown reason--would be coming, too.

The redhead never actually wanted to go. He had planned a few years back after receiving spam e-mails from that he would never attend a High School Reunion, just for the reason that he didn't want the depression from High School times to return. Life was going good for him at the moment. And he wanted it to stay that way.

But he eventually changed his mind. And it wasn't just the letter that changed his mind. It was one phrase _in _the letter that made him contemplate: "majority of their old group of friends." There was that key word--"majority." What was the majority? Everyone? Three people? Sasori didn't know the answer. But he had to admit, he _wanted_ to know.

But, out of all his curiosity, there was one thing that made him the most curious. And that was if his old best friend was returning to see him and the others.

Back in High School, Sasori was just one of the regular loners. He had his large group of friends, sure; however, he always preferred to work alone. That was, until a certain blonde boy came into his life.

Deidara. Probably the one person Sasori could ever truly open up to without feeling criticized or chastised. The boy understood him--sometimes, a little too well, he always thought. The two were always never seen apart, except for the occasional class differentiations. All four years of traumatic torture in a classroom was countered by their friendship. They were happiest together.

But, as Sasori feared, all true happiness must come to an end, one way or another. Deidara graduated and almost instantly had to move with his family halfway around the world, and Sasori instantly lost contact with his best friend. Year after year after year went by without a single word from him, and Sasori eventually got the feeling that their friendship had been nothing but a lie hidden by smiles. After that incident, Sasori had built a wall around himself, concealing himself from the harms of the outside world.

But now, here he was, standing inside the familiar room, breathing in the stinging scent of recently polished wooden floors, looking anxiously around a crowd of familiar, yet unknown, people for even a sign that his old friend would show up. Nobody had to tell him: Sasori already knew he was a horrible hypocrite, and he censured himself for that on his way over to the reunion.

"Akasuna! Hey!"

Sasori turned to his left to see a familiar face. Kisame Hoshigake stood in front of him, looking the same as he had 20 years before, except about 5" taller than his original height of 6' and a bit longer hair.

"Hey, Kisame! Figured I would see you here."

"Yeah, well, no duh! I was the one that got you into this stupid mess, remember?" Kisame chuckled.

"Heh. You got that right." Sasori greeted the blue man with their old "secret hand shake"--which, as the rest, never really was a secret.

"Hehe…Can spot you a mile away, Akasuna! Still that same ol' red pom-pom, I see!"

"And you've changed your hair?"

"Can't ya tell? It's a bit darker, am I right?" Kisame patted his hair, still blue and spiked.

"Looks the same to me, but whatever." Sasori shrugged his shoulders and placed a hand on his hip. "So who else is here? This is a Reunion, right? Well I want to "reunite" with people…not be kept-"

"-waiting" Kisame finished for him. "Yeah, yeah…same ol' Impatient Sasori."

"You know it," Sasori said.

"Okay, I think I might have seen Itachi in here a while ago…but I'm not sure…wanna go check?" Kisame grinned big and gestured for Sasori to follow.

Sasori sighed. "I don't see what else there is to do…"

Kisame led the way, darting in and out of the crowd, looking over people's heads--which was, in fact, basically just looking around, as his head was higher than any other was--for the Uchiha. Eventually, the tall man spotted raven black hair complemented by striking red eyes. He turned to Sasori, "Hey! I think I see him! Let's go!"

"Wait, wh-" Sasori was unexpectedly pulled through a mob of people chatting and into an open area, where a young man stood alone.

Kisame smiled and waved a hand, trying to catch the boy's attention, "Hey, Itachi-san!"

The boy looked up at Kisame. His long black hair nearly covering the entire front side of his face, and the rest of it tied back into a tight ponytail, which trailed down the center of his back. "Itachi? That's my elder brother… I'm Sasuke."

Kisame's smile faded fast and quickly shifted to a surprised expression. "Oh really? No way! You look _just_ like him! I could have _sworn_ you were Itachi!"

Sasuke glared at him. "Don't remind me. I don't even want to be related to him."

Kisame backed off a little bit. "Oh, okay…well, have you seen your brother? Is he here?"

The Itachi-look-alike turned his head to the side doors. "Yeah. He's outside. He's with the rest of your old gang, Akasuchi."

Sasori corrected him, "_Akatsuki_."

"Whatever," Sasuke remarked. "Anyways, he ran outside. Some sort of commotion."

"Commotion?" Sasori asked.

"Yeah. Something about a long-lost friend returning from half way around the world, or-" Sasuke looked back at the two, only to find the tall blue man being dragged outside by the redhead, "-something." He looked after them. _Huh_, he thought, _must know what's going on…_


	2. Chapter 2

"What the hell was that for, huh?" Kisame questioned Sasori once they were outside.

"We gotta find Itachi." Sasori hastily looked about the outskirts of the gym, searching for their old group.

"Sasori, what-"

"Didn't you hear him?" Sasori cut him off. Kisame just gave him a puzzled expression. "Itachi's brother plainly stated that someone's _back_ from _halfway _around the _world_! Who else would that be?" Sasori stared at him for the longest time.

Then it hit Kisame.

"Deidara…"

"Exactly!" Sasori began to run off again, but before he could get far, Kisame grabbed him by the shoulder. The redhead turned and glared at the blue man, but only to have his eyes follow the direction the man's finger was pointed towards.

Beyond some rather poorly kept shrubs lie their old favorite spot to hang out. Just like Kisame, the spot remained the same: as beautiful as it ever was. The small clearing was covered in tall, luscious green grass and surrounded by a few trees. Even though they had grown as well, Sasori could still make out the carvings they--mainly him and Deidara--had drawn on the trees. Other than that, their spot hadn't changed. It seemed to have an eternal feel to it, Sasori deducted. Not only because the beauty of it stayed the same, but also the people in it. Sasori smiled at the sight.

There was a small circle chatting away in the clearing. Itachi was most visible, since he was further back from the group and to the side of the circle; Kisame ran up to him and greeted the raven-haired man, telling of his encounter with Sasuke.

Kakuzu was the next person Sasori recognized as he walked closer to them. The chocolate-skinned man actually was one to look different after 20 years: his deep brown hair was longer and pulled back into a low ponytail, and the mask he had once worn over his mouth to conceal his stitches from the accident now was gone, revealing a scar-free face.

Then, there was the annoying two: Tobi and Hidan. Tobi…didn't change at all. Same mask, same attitude…hell, even the same clothes! Hidan, as well, hadn't really changed other than his hair was longer, too. The group "leader", Pein, and his girlfriend, Konan, still seemed to be together, and again, hadn't changed a bit.

Sasori noticed that the group was in fact standing not just in a circle, but they were standing around something or some_one. _

Then the pieces came together.

"I still can't believe it…" Pein sighed as he shook his head.

"Who would have thought?" Tobi remarked, joyfully.

Konan let out a small squeal. "I don't know, guys…I like it."

Hidan followed in the commentary, "Shit, you have to be fucking kidding me!"

Kakuzu shrugged.

Itachi sighed. "You guys, get over it."

Kisame looked over and saw what they were talking about. "Whoa."

"Hey, guys!" Sasori said as he walked up to the circle.

Each individual smiled back at him, turning to face him, though none said a word. Sasori stood confused in front of them until they all backed away to reveal what they were circling around.

And Sasori's glass wall shattered.


	3. Chapter 3

In front of the redhead stood Sasori's entire world. Anything that was everything to him was right where it was supposed to be: where he could touch it, hold it, grasp it. But there was something missing. An important detail. An absent chain link. Sasori felt tears weld up in his eyes. He knew what was missing. But he didn't care.

"Hey," the boy said.

"Hey," Sasori replied to him, "Deidara."

The blonde smiled. "Haven't seen you for...awhile, un."

"Yeah, it's been a long time."

"Too long…" Deidara's gaze shifted to the ground.

Sasori looked at the others from out of the corners of his eyes. They were all watching the two, waiting for some sign to either leave them alone, or to continue their group conversation. Sasori really didn't want for them to interrupt his little moment with his newly regained friend, but he eventually decided to save personal talk for later when the rest of the group wasn't around.

Deidara looked back up at him and smiled. "You haven't changed a bit, un!"

"Can't say the same about you." Sasori looked Dei up and down.

"Hehe… you like it, un?" The blonde ran his fingers through his hair.

Or at least, what was _left_ of it. All those years in which Sasori had learned to love the boy's extremely long, girlish locks seemed to have dissolved the instant he noticed his new hairstyle. There was nothing more than about three inches of it left. Mind you, he still kept his bangs, although they were so short now…they didn't even cover his left eye anymore. It was a drastic change; Sasori almost couldn't believe it was him! His identity was misplaced, almost. That important detail. The missing link.

"Can't say I don't…" the redhead replied. He continued to stare at him, lost in his amazement.

"Yeah, but you CAN say that you do!" Konan grabbed Sasori's arm with her own, pulling him close. "I can see the glimmer in your eye!"

Sasori lightly blushed and quickly turned to her, glaring, "Same ol' Konan, huh? Still an annoying perv."

Konan opened her mouth to protest but Hidan interrupted, "Got that right! I swear to Jashin her fucking _head_ is a toilet!"

At that, everyone laughed; Konan, now glaring at Hidan, let go of the redhead and stormed back over to Pein. "You guys are mean!"

"And you're not?" Hidan retorted.

More laughter. Konan's face turned bright red as she stormed over to Hidan, who made haste to back away from the charging blue-haired woman. The Jashinist ducked behind Kakuzu, who, not wanting to get in Konan's beeline towards the zealot, quickly side-stepped and allowed the woman to tackle Hidan.

"FUCK-!" was all the Jashinist could get out before he was pinned to the ground, his silver hair being pulled from his head by the vicious female.

"Take it back, you blaspheming heathen, before I shove a bar of soap down your gutter-mouthed throat!!!" Konan screamed at the top of her lungs as she wrestled him, ending with him in a head-lock.

The group simply watched the lovely display of affection the two on the ground were giving each other. No one made a move to separate them; knowing that if they did try, it would most likely end up with them in Hidan's position next.

Kisame laughed. "Good times."

"Agreed," Itachi replied, walking over to the blue man. He glared at him for the longest time.

"…What?" Kisame glared back.

"You didn't call me…"

Kisame scratched his head. "I didn't? I thought I did…Thought I left a message…"

The raven-haired man shook his head. "No…I never got one."

"But Tobi was there when Kisame-san called Itachi-san!" Tobi cried gleefully, flailing his arms at the short Uchiha. "Tobi heard Kisame-san leave Itachi-san a message!"

Itachi glared even harder at the masked man--whom he _wished_ had changed even the slightest bit. "Did you hear what the message said?"

Kisame looked over Itachi's head, waving his hands below his face and shaking his head, trying to signal to the hyperactive motor-mouth not to tell the Uchiha anything.

Tobi noticed the gesture, but didn't understand why the blue man didn't want Itachi to know. He tilted his head in confusion.

Kisame frantically pointed to where Sasori and Deidara were standing. Thankfully, they were too absorbed in the fight between the zealot and the vicious Konan to even be slightly aware of him pointing at them.

This time, Tobi understood. "Oh, uh…Tobi didn't hear him, Itachi-san!"

Itachi stared at the crazy kid, trying to interpret the real meaning of his words. "Whatever." And with that, he walked back to the rest of the group.

Kakuzu sighed. "Hidan, your being stupid, cut it out."

"But this bitch-" the zealot cried as he pointed to Konan, who had him in a chokehold again.

"No 'buts'," He turned to the girl, "Konan, trust me, its not worth it. The ass _likes_ the pain."

The blue haired woman ignored Kakuzu's request and continued to rip Hidan's hair from his scalp.

This time, Pein interfered. "Konan. Enough."

Konan looked up at her boyfriend, and obediently let the Jashinist go. However, she didn't let her chance to send him the death glare slip by. "You're one lucky bastard, you know that? I'm serious," she pointed a finger at him, "if Pein wasn't here, I'd-"

"Konan!" Pein lowered the woman's arm. "Enough."

The silver-haired man took this opportunity to stick his middle finger out at Konan. "Bitch."

Pein noticed her face darken from pink to a maroon red. He didn't want anymore trouble than there already was, so he pulled her behind him and addressed Hidan. "And you…Next time I won't pry her off your sorry ass…"

Hidan huffed. "Whatever…"

Pein took Konan's hand. "We're going back inside…I want to see if our old English teacher is still breathing…" He laughed and led his girlfriend into the crowded building.

Kakuzu also turned and gave a little wave. "I'm off, too…I need some punch."

Hidan got up from where he was sitting. "I'll come, too!" He followed the taller man into the gym as well.

Sasori shifted uncomfortably in the silence. He didn't like the fact that no one was talking anymore. It was too quiet. He looked from Kisame to Itachi, waiting for them to strike up a conversation.

Kisame noticed Sasori's anxiety. He decided to comply to his evil side and make the redhead suffer. "Hey, Tobi."

"Hai, Kisame-san?"

"Do you know where Zetsu is?"

The masked boy perked up. "Oh, yes! Zetsu-san is-"

"You wanna take us to him?" Kisame poked the Uchiha next to him. "We wanna talk to him about…something…right, Itachi?"

The raven-haired man stared up at him. He had no idea what was going on in the blue man's head, but he followed along. "Yes."

Tobi smiled under the swirly orange mask. "Sure thing! Follow Tobi!!!" He pointed towards a small path that led into an area with dense foliage. The other two followed close behind as Tobi marched onwards.

The red-head stared in shock as the rest of the group departed. His jaw hung down a little, apparently unable to close. _What just happened? Did they seriously just leave us here, alone, like that?_

Deidara stood there patiently, watching his old friend gawk at the others that had just left. Slowly and cautiously, he walked up to him. "Um, so…What's up, un?" He grinned at the other as Sasori turned and regained his composure.

"Uh," Sasori cleared his throat, "nothing much…just…life, you know…"

Deidara nodded. "Yeah, un…"

More silence.

"And you?" the redhead asked.

"Oh, uh…also nothing much…" Deidara rocked on his heels, feeling the awkwardness of the situation.

The two were silent for a long time more. Neither knew what to say to the other.

Finally, Sasori got up the courage. "Um, Deidara?"

"Yeah, un?"

Sasori thought about how to formulate his words. "When…when you left…"

"Why didn't you call?"


	4. Chapter 4

---coughcoughcough---AUTHORS NOTES---coughcoughcough---

Sorry this took so damn long, guys! XD Motivation was OUT teh window~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
But tis back nao, so that's good, yeah~  
BLAH! I feel like this chappie is UBER short, so just bare with me, yeah. I'm working on the next chappie as we speak! :D

---coughcoughcough---

Sasori looked at the blonde in shock. "Wh-what?"

"You didn't call me," Deidara crossed his arms and looked down at the ground, visibly sad.

The redhead simply stared at the blonde for the longest time. I_ didn't call _him_? But it was _him_ who didn't call _me_. _

Deidara tore his glace from the ground to see Sasori's brow furrow in confusion. "Well? Care to explain, un?" "What's there to explain? You're the one that didn't call me! Not the other way around!"

The blonde was shocked at his small outburst. "Wh-what? How _could_ I? You, I don't know, changed your number or something! I dialed the number you gave me and it said it was 'not in service', un," he made air quotes around the words.

Sasori dropped his gaze for a moment, "Yeah, my cell number did change. I dropped it in Kisame's pool over the summer and it fried my SIM card. But I called you and left a message that it changed! I even gave the new number on the message! You never called me back!"

"I got no such message!" the blonde's arms fell to his sides.

Sasori felt his body tense. "Well, I left one…I don't know whether you _really_ got it or not, though."

"I just told you! I didn't get any message! Are you sure _you_ dialed the right number, hmm? Because I didn't change mine!" Deidara started to exaggerate his movements more, feeling the anger slowly start to escalate inside him.

"What the _hell_? Are you sure you even_ gave_ me the right number to begin with?"

Deidara noticed his friend's face turn the same color as his hair, which, normally never happens, seeing as Sasori was probably one of the most un-emotional people he ever knew. "I _think_ I know my own freaking number, un!"

"Well apparently not!" Sasori was on the verge of strangling the boy.

Dei growled. "Listen, you," his hands went to his temples, trying to rub away the headache. "I _told_ you…I didn't get any message what-so-ever. I gave you the right number. So I don't know why you're yelling at me, un!"

"I'm not _yelling _at you, BRAT!"

"What do you call _that, _un? _That_ I consider _yelling_! So STOP YELLING AT ME!, UN!"

"You're yelling at _me_! You're not helping the situation!"

"SHUT UP, UN!"

Both boys were glaring at each other; their noses less than an inch apart. Neither of them moved for what seemed to be an eternity.

"You see? You can't even take it when someone points our your hypocrisy. Let alone every other fault you have." Sasori sneered.

Deidara clenched his teeth. "You're one to talk! You have more faults that I do, un!"

"Oh yeah? Name one!"

"You're impatient."

The redhead fell silent for a moment. "Another."

"You criticize others' hard work, un."

"You're just saying that because I simply state my opinion on your so-called pieces of 'art'!"

"You see? You did it AGAIN, un!" Deidara spun on his heal, turning away from the other man. "You REALLY haven't changed at ALL, have you, un? The same asshole I knew 20 years ago! I swear, Sasori…GROW UP!"

The redhead didn't show it, as usual, but he felt the truth in his friend's words. The painful truth. He really didn't mature that much in 20 years; he knew he was still cold-hearted--he was told that constantly by Kisame--he just never wanted to accept it. Sasori wanted so much to prove him wrong; prove to his long-lost friend that he _had_ changed. But he didn't know how. All that he knew how to do was let his emotions take control of his senses. And that never resulted well.

He clenched his fist and teeth. "Again with the hypocrisy. Listen to you, you obnoxious BRAT! You haven't changed either! You're still a short-tempered, absent-minded, hot-headed BLONDE, that doesn't know how to take a freakin' INSULT! I swear, Deidara, no matter how short you cut your hair, you're still a fucking, BITCHY GIRL!"

Deidara's mouth dropped open slightly; his eyes widened in shock. In all his years he had never _once_ heard Sasori call him a girl. Not even when they first met. Sasori was the one person out of everybody in the entire school that hadn't mistaken him for a girl. He squeezed his eyes shut and wished, then and there, that he could go back to that day; he wished he could start over again, but with a different approach.

Sasori saw the blonde close his eyes, though it didn't help any. Deidara started crying. Never in all the years that they were friends had Sasori seen his partner cry, let alone tear up. The redhead brought a hand to his mouth, biting his nail. He had done it. He really did hurt him this time.

"Deidara…I-" Sasori started.

"Just…just SHUT UP, yeah!" Deidara yelled, eyes still tightly sealed. He wanted to scream at him, yell at him, curse and swear like Hidan until there was no tomorrow. Better yet, he just wanted to have a mental breakdown.

"Dei…I'm sorry…I wasn't…I wasn't thinking. About your hair-" Sasori took a step towards his friend, the other arm reaching out to stroke his hair.

Deidara saw the action. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" he cried and jerked away, taking a good four or five steps away.

Sasori recoiled, startled. He had never seen him act this way before. "Dei," he whispered.

Deidara turned slightly, tears streaming down his cheeks like flooding rivers. "Look who's being hypocritical now, un… call me a girl all you want. It just proves how much like scum you really are."

Sasori's breath caught in his throat, though he made no notion to retort, nor make a move of any kind. He just stood there, letting the words hit him harder and harder.

"And to think," Deidara whispered to him, "that this, what I did…everything I've ever done…was just to make _you_ happy."

Sasori's heart cracked. "W-what?"

"It was all for you…Danna…" and with that, Deidara turned on his heel and ran.


	5. Chapter 5

Flashback

Deidara sat, back against the wall of the gymnasium. He already hated this place. He had just transferred to this high school after going a week at the other; and, hell, was that week torture.

It hadn't even been an hour at his previous school before he started getting called a girl, or a fag, or any other nasty name that came with his feminine looks and male gender. Sure, his long, glossy hair didn't help much, but he wasn't going to change. He liked his hair and that's all there was to it. But apparently the other students disagreed with him and his opinions. One week at that school, and he had returned home many times with scrapes, bruises and blood dripping from his mouth and chin. One boy there even threatened to shave all of his hair off if he "didn't do something about that abomination". That's what got him. Dei was so scared, he came home in tears. After that, his mother had threatened to sue the boy for sexual harassment and had already filed the paperwork for a restraining order.

Eventually, he just switched schools. But that didn't help either. Now, here he was, sitting alone because already the majority of the student population had called him a girl. What was worse was when he told them he wasn't. Their eyes would widen in confusion and shock, then they would either walk away and never talk to him again, or start calling him those names. Deidara wanted to punch those losers in the face, or even kick them where it hurt the most, but he knew better. So he did just what his mother told him to do: walk away.

Dei closed his eyes and sighed, allowing the music that was blaring through his headphones to penetrate into his mind, numbing his thoughts and sending him into another world.

His tranquil state didn't last that long, though. Somehow he sensed that someone was there. He didn't know how. He could just…feel it. He opened his eyes; only to find a pair of brown ones staring right back into his.

Deidara jumped and yelled, tearing out his earphones in the process. "What the HELL, un?"

The owner of the other set of eyes also jumped back in alarm. "Whoa! Didn't mean to scare you…" they said.

Deidara clenched his fist to his chest, trying to slow down his heart rate. "Scare me? You damn near gave me a fucking heart attack, un!"

"Sorry…I was just trying to wake you up."

"May I ask _why_, yeah?" Deidara half glared at the person--now known to be a young boy with a mop of red hair.

The boy, face expressionless, pointed to where Deidara was sitting. "You're in my spot."

"You're spot, yeah?" Deidara looked around the area. "I don't see your name on it anywhere, un."

"That's because you're sitting on it," the kid bluntly stated.

"Wha-?" Dei scooted over, revealing a small carving of a scorpion with the initials "A.S." on its back. "Uh…that doesn't look like you're name, un."

"Those are my initials. 'A.S.' Akasuna no Sasori."

"Sasori, eh? Huh…explains the scorpion…un." Deidara mumbled.

"Yes, now if you wouldn't mind…" Sasori gestured for Deidara to leave.

"Hey, un! I was here before you, yeah! You can't just kick someone out because they're sitting where you put your initials, un!" Deidara protested.

"Oh yeah? Want to watch as I kick your scrawny ass?" Sasori smirked.

Deidara also grinned at the challenge. "Heh, I'd like to see you try, un! A little boy like you couldn't do a thing! I'm taller than you, yeah!"

The redhead's gaze turned into a glare. "Imply that I'm short one more time, I dare you."

Deidara beamed. He found a soft spot on this kid already! And it hadn't even been five minutes! He took his headphones off and set his CD player on the concrete. "Hehe…You…are…SHORT, un!"

Sasori's eye twitched. "You asked for it…"

Within seconds, the two were on the ground, wrestling.

And within seconds, the redhead had Deidara in a headlock.

"Fuck!" The blonde chocked. "Let me go, un!"

Sasori smirked. "You are pathetic! That wasn't even a fight!"

Deidara had to pry Sasori's arms from around his neck. "UN! I just didn't want to end up hurting you, yeah!"

Sasori snorted. "YEAH RIGHT! Just admit it, you suck at fighting."

"I might. But give me a coffee and tell me you just stole my molding clay and forensics wouldn't even be able to identify a _skin cell_ from you, un."

"Why?" Sasori laughed. "What are you going to do? Blow me up?"

"Damn straight, un!" Dei cried as he punched the air.

The redhead ceased laughing. "Well that's just mean."

"Um…who cares?" Deidara rolled over and grabbed his walkman, stuffing it in his backpack.

"Um…I do?" Sasori replied, mocking him.

"Oh, come on…" the blonde laughed. "It'll be a quick death."

"Cynical much?" the red head looked at the other seriously. "Death isn't a laughing matter."

"I'm not laughing, un."

"Never said you were." Sasori smirked. "Besides, if anything, you'd want to make a death more prolonged: make it so the person would die _slowly_, thus, making it seem like the torture would last for _eternity._"

Deidara's eyes widened in shock. "Okay, now you're just starting to creep me out, un."

"Hey, you started it, brat." Sasori pointed his finger at the blonde, who, in turn, put his hands on his hips and objected.

"Did not, un!"

"Did too…and don't try these baby games with me. You'll loose." Sasori sat on the concrete with his back against the gym wall.

"Oh, I'm sorry, _Danna_… Here, let me bow to your greatness…" Dei pretended to worship the red head.

Sasori chuckled. "Don't flatter me, brat. It won't get you anywhere. I don't like the idea of having a bunch of followers fangirl-ing over me."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that…"

"Go-"

"I'll be you're _only_ fangirl!" Deidara smiled evilly and put his elbow on Sasori's shoulder.

The red head slowly looked over at the blonde. "Okay…_that_ is just disturbing."

"What, un? Don't want me following you around everywhere?" Dei laughed again.

"No, no that…well, yeah, that too, but…I don't think I want a _guy_ fan_girl_-ing over me. That's just scary…" "Oh, you know you'd--… Wait…" Deidara stood in silence.

Sasori answered his silence with a questioning look. "What?"

"You…" More silence as the blonde tried to formulate the right thing to say. "You _don't_ think I'm a girl, un?"

The red head's confused expression quickly switched to one of shock. "What! Why would I ever think that?"

Deidara tugged on his long, golden tresses. "Maybe this?"

Sasori shook his head. "That's the lamest thing I've ever heard. Why would someone think you're a girl just because of your hair?"

"I get it all the time," Dei sighed and looked down. "That's why I had to switch schools…it just got to be too much, un."

Sasori's head perked up as he heard the school bell ring, indicating the end of the lunch period. "Well, don't listen to them. They're all homophobic assholes anyways…I'll see ya 'round, kay? Later!" And with that he ran off to his next class. Deidara waved goodbye. _Maybe he'll be different,_ he thought. Maybe he'd make a true friend after all.

End Flashback


	6. Chapter 6

_Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang._

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Red hair collided with the trunk of the tree. Sasori staggered backwards from the many impacts, only to regain his balance and continue annihilating the base of the tree with a continuous stream of punches. His heart felt like it had just been ripped from his chest and then shattered into a million pieces. And he _hated_ that feeling: hated it to such a degree that the pain in his head and now his fists was paradise in comparison.

The blonde's words paraded through his mind--a never-ending marching band of hurt and guilt that caused his migraine to worsen tenfold. "_It was all for you…Danna…_" Sasori gave the tree one final punch, then finished the job with a roundhouse kick. He stepped back, wiping the sweat and tear mixture from his face, and glared at the damage he caused--which was minimal compared to the other denotations of either anger issues or compassion their old High School group had imprinted on the living--or rather, now dying--organism. He placed his bloody fist lightly on the tree, resting his throbbing forehead on top of it, and glowered at the dirt surrounding the base of the tree.

Before long the waves of pain, anger, guilt, and sorrow all came crashing back down on him, flooding his thoughts with nothing but images of he and Deidara--in their happiest of times. Why couldn't they be like that now? They could have, but, because of his own imprudent, ludicrous actions, his best friend probably now hated his guts and never wanted to see him again. Sasori couldn't blame him, though. He was an asshole to him. It was only fair that they never bothered each other again. Right?

"No."

Sasori looked up, only to find Konan looking solemnly right back at him. "What?"

"No. Its not fair that you never talk to each other. What sort of healing process is that? For the both of you!" her brow furrowed as she questioned him.

"I, uh…said that out loud…didn't I?" the red head cringed.

"Yes. You did." Konan closed her eyes. "But that's beside the point! Why on Earth would you _not_ ever want to talk to him again?"

"Because I know he doesn't want to talk to me."

"Now how do you honestly know that?" Konan asked, now more serious than before.

"I just do." Sasori replied. "I was a jerk to him. No. More than a jerk. I was a total ass to him. I called him a GIRL for crying out loud! What sort of friend does that?"

"You were angry. It's a natural response."

"Natural, my ASS! I never once in my life called him a girl! Never even thought it! You remember the day we met! I talked to you about him!"

"Yes. I remember." The blue-haired woman nodded. "You were excited because he was new. And he actually talked to you."

"Not helping, Konan…"

"Just saying…"

"Still! He's not going to talk to me. Ever again! He hates my guts now and he thinks I'm a jerk."

"Now stop right there!" Konan pulled the shorter man from the tree and held him firmly by the shoulders. "Stop being so absolute! You're too stuck on the extremes! Stop it! Now listen, and listen well. I'm sure that right now he's probably somewhere on this campus, alone and crying as you were before I got here. And I'm damn well sure, knowing Deidara as we all do, that he misses you, no matter how much he resents that fact_ because_ you were so mean to him."

Sasori's gaze shifted to the ground again. "Highly doubt it--"

"Stop that! Again with the negative!" Konan lightly shook Sasori to bring his gaze back to her eyes. "Now, I'm going to tell you what you need to do. And you are going to do everything EXACTLY as I tell you to, okay?" Konan paused for a moment, but no reply from the redhead. She shook him again, lightly, "Okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever."

"Good. Now, first. You're going to tell me, right here, right now--answer this question: Do you care about Deidara?"

Sasori's gaze fixed intently on Konan's eyes. "Of course I do! He's been my best friend forever!"

Konan seemed not too pleased with that answer, but took it anyways. "Okay, good. So you do care about him. Now, you're going to march yourself around this school and _find_ him, you hear me? And when you do, you are going to sit him down--no buts about this!--and talk to him! I don't care if he tries to run away! You be the bigger man and make him sit and talk! Got that?"

"Talk about wha--"

"You damn well know what the hell to talk about, Akasuna! Don't give me this bullshit!"

Sasori jumped back from Konan's now angry face. She was very, _very_ scary when she was this mad.

"You sit him down and tell him that you're sorry! Tell him that you were wrong and you know it and that you wont leave him alone until he forgives you because you care for him that much and don't want to lose a friend!"

Again, Sasori's eyes fell to the ground. "But what if--"

Konan gripped his shoulders tighter and gritted her teeth. "One more 'if" or 'but' from you, Sasori, and I will strip you of all your manhood you won't even have to worry about showing Dei who the bigger man is…"

Sasori's eyes widened at the thought as he gaped at her. She didn't even need to say anything: her cold stare was enough to prove she was serious. Sasori nodded. "Fine," he said, "I'll go talk to him."

Konan released him from her grip. "Good boy," she rewarded him with a pat on the head like a dog. "Now go! Go and make up with him!" She turned him towards the school and gave him a slight push, sending him on his way.

The redhead walked aimlessly around the parameter of the building. He mind was still foggy and his eyes blurred, yet his legs--as if knowing exactly where to go--seemed to move on their own towards their destination.

Finally, he came around to the back of the gymnasium again. Feeling unaccomplished and hopeless of the situation, Sasori leaned against the cement wall, sighing heavily. All fell silent. But there soon was a small noise the man heard from the other side of the wall separating the two adjacent handball courts. Sasori listened very closely, trying to identify the sound. Before long, the small noise developed into the distinct resonance of crying. Inquisitive about whether he'd located the purpose of his search, the redhead slowly but cautiously inched around the wall, peeking at what--or rather, who--the reverberation was coming from.

He inaudibly gasped at the sight he saw. Deidara sat in the same place he was sitting when Sasori first laid eyes on him, only this time, the blonde was in a sort of fetal position--curled up, hugging his knees, and crying his eyes out: not something you see everyday from a grown man, if that's what you would call them; even now.

Sasori slowly creped out from around the cement blockade. Subsequently, he gradually ambled over until he stood in front of the younger lamenting man, some few feet away, just in case. The elder mustered up all his courage before taking a breath to speak.

"Dei…"


	7. Chapter 7

"Dei…"

The blonde slowly looked up. "What do YOU want, un?" he spat as he turned away.

"I want to talk…is that too much to ask?" The redhead cautiously walked towards the other, his heart pounding louder with each step as he got closer.

Deidara looked at him from the corner of his eyes. "I don't want to talk to you. Is that too much to say, un?"

Sasori finally reached the blonde's side and sat down. "Deidara, please. Don't act like this. You're being-"

"What? Childish?" Dei interrupted him. "Go ahead, un. Say it. I dare you. Then I can call you out as a fucking hypocrite."

Sasori's eyes widened in shock. He had never once heard the boy talk like that. "Wh-"

"Don't play dumb with me Sasori!" Deidara quickly stood up and glared down at him. "You can't HONESTLY tell me that you don't think that what _you_ said, how _you_ acted WASN'T childish!"

Sasori felt anger start to manifest inside of him. "I DO know that. That's why I came to _apologize_!" The redhead sighed and rubbed his temples. "Deidara…I don't want to yell at you. I don't want to do anything to you in any way that would hurt you…"

"You already have…"

"I KNOW that!" Sasori mentally slapped himself for yelling at the other again. He shook his head, standing up, and tried again. "Listen…I'm really, _really_ sorry for what I said earlier…I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"Yeah, sure you didn't…You didn't mean to flat-out call me a girl. Yeah, like I'm going to believe that one, un…" Deidara's brows furrowed in anger.

"Dei, please, just…listen-"

"No. _You_ listen." The blonde held his index finger up. "I'm sick and tired of all our little arguments, un. They're unproductive. You know _why?_ Because we fight about the same damn thing every time, and you NEVER learn anything! You don't even listen to a damn word I say, un!" Deidara's eyes began to water.

"Dei, I'm sorry…" Sasori began.

"I don't care anymore! The only time you EVER listen to me is when I'm HURT or CRYING. But, you know what? By then, Sasori, it's TOO LATE. Just like now. It's too late. I'm not going to accept your apology."

Sasori was about to say something but the blonde silenced him with a wave of his hand. "No. Goodbye, Sasori…don't ever talk to me again, un…" and he turned to walk away.

The redhead stared after him, speechless. But then he remembered Konan's words: _"I don't care if he tries to run away! You be the bigger man and make him sit and talk!"_ Sasori mustered up all the courage he had left in him and, taking a breath--one he figured was the biggest breath he had ever inhaled--he ran after the blonde. "Deidara! Stop!"

Dei stopped dead in his tracks; his fists clenched tight at his sides; his heart drumming as if it were a hummingbird; his eyes overflowing with tears out of hurt and rage. "Dammit, Sasori…what part of "leave me alone" are you NOT getting here?"

Sasori caught up to him. He grabbed the blonde's wrist and spun him around. "I'm not going to let you walk away from me like that." Sasori's face now held a strong countenance--one of bravery, yet filled with emotion. "Deidara…You've been my friend for nearly all my life. I don't want our friendship to end now because of my bitchy tendencies to slip up and say shit like that. I was wrong, I know it! After what happened, I felt like shit." He held up his hands and lifted his bangs for Dei to see the bloody scars he obtained from his bout with the tree.

Deidara simply ignored his attempt. His eyes still pierced into Sasori's; still filled with anger of the past.

Sasori simply continued on. "Now, I don't know what happened after you left, but all I can think about is before--when you were here. When's the last time you remember that we ever did something that _didn't_ involve the other? Never, that's when. We were always together! Then…you left on your little excursion and I just broke apart! I felt like I was never going to see you again!"

Sasori didn't waste a moment. He pulled the blonde towards him by the wrist and embraced him. "I can't go through that again!"

Deidara was extremely alarmed at this sudden contact. His eyes went wide and he just hung there, limply, not knowing what to do. "S-Sasori…un?"

Sasori only hugged him tighter. "Please….PLEASE, forgive me."

Deidara looked off to the side. "I…I ca-"

Sasori didn't wait for an answer. He pulled away slightly, still keeping one of his arms around the blonde. "Deidara…" he whispered as he slid the fingers of his other hand through the back of his now short hair. He lightly held the back of his neck in his hand as he pulled the boy's face close to his.

Deidara's face turned a bright red as their lips collided. His conscience screamed at him to push the redhead away, yet something wouldn't let him escape. He knew this was wrong, but the warmth of the other man's lips, the tingling sensation--it all felt so good. After a moment's hesitation, the blonde gave in.

Sasori smirked to himself as he felt the blonde in his arms relax and give in to the kiss. The redhead took this opportunity to pull him closer and kiss him deeper, running his fingers through his blonde hair--it may have been shorter, but the softness was still there.

Dei slowly wrapped his arms around the now taller man and kissed him back. He was just getting the hang of it when Sasori pulled away.

"Do you forgive me now?" Sasori asked as he pressed their foreheads together.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, un. I do."

Sasori smiled as he kisses the blonde quickly again. "Promise me…that you won't leave me again like that."

Deidara pulled him close. "I promise, un." he said as he grinned wildly.

"I hated that you were gone. You left me all alone." Sasori nestled his head into the side of the other's neck. "And I had no way of contacting you. Every time I did…it was the same thing: 'No one is here by that name, try again, thank you.'"

Deidara's eyes widened slightly. "That's the same thing I got when I tried to call _you_, un!"

Sasori raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Did you dial right?"

Deidara pulled out his cell phone and looked up the unused number. "This one right here, right?"

Sasori nodded as he looked at his own house number. "Yep. Same house number as when I was in High School…"

Deidara looked from Sasori, to the phone, then back to Sasori. "Hold on, un…" The blonde pressed the "Call" button, causing the phone to ring through the speakerphone option.

After four rings or so, an elderly voice answered with a rough "Hello?"

"Um…Is Sasori there?" Deidara asked into the receiver.

"Who is this?"

"It's Deidara."

"Again? I thought you stopped calling, boy. I told you before, there is no such person living here! Now stop with the-"

"Granny Chiyo?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Granny Chiyo?" Sasori asked as he took the phone from Dei.

There was a long pause on the other end. Finally, the old woman replied, "Sasori, is that you?"

"Yes, it is."

"Ohh…well, nice to hear from you finally! Its been a long time, hasn't it? I remember-"

"Granny, end this lie now. I can't believe it! After all these years, it was YOU that prevented me from reunited with Deidara!"

"I…er…well…"

"Yeah, don't give me this shit. I can't believe it! You RUINED my LIFE!" and he hung up on her.

Deidara looked at the redhead in surprise. "That was your GRANDMOTHER?"

Sasori handed the blonde back his phone. "Yes…yes that was…and I fucking HATE her! All those times that person called and she'd tell them they had the wrong number…that was YOU!" the redhead paced back and forth, nearly tearing his hair out in frustration. "…She…she…she is SO dead!"

Deidara watched as Sasori stomped around like a caged animal. He felt sorry for him, but he also felt confusion about the situation-not to mention guilt for not realized the voice had belonged to Chiyo-baasama the entire time.

Sasori walked back over to the cement wall of the gymnasium and slid down until he was sitting on the ground. He buried his fingers into his own hair, pulling on it still. "I don't get it…"

Deidara walked over to his side and kneeled down as well. "I don't get it either, un." He pulled on Sasori's arms lightly, pulling them away from his head and out of his hair. The blonde looked him in the eyes. "But you don't have to torture yourself because of it, yeah."

The redhead sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry…"

"There's nothing to be sorry about, un… It's not your fault." Deidara leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. "You do realize how much like children we are acting right now, yeah?"

A small laugh arose from the redhead. "Sometimes, I still wish we were kids, you know?" he pulled the blonde into a tight embrace yet again, running his hand up and down his back.

Dei shivered from the touch but smiled as his raised his head up and kissed him again. "I know exactly what you mean, un…"

The two remained in that position for the longest time until Sasori slowly pushed the blonde back a bit. "I'm still confused about something."

Deidara looked at the redhead questionably. "What's that, un?"  
"Why would she do such a thing? What didn't she like about you that she wouldn't let you talk to me?"

Deidara rose an eyebrow. "There has to be some sort of logical reasoning for her to do that…yeah…"

"Oh, there was a VERY good reason why she did what she did…hmm." a scratchy male voice spoke as a shadow appeared over the two on the ground.

Deidara whipped around at the sound of the voice and quickly moved off to the side of Sasori. "D-dad?"

A taller, more masculine version of Deidara stood in front of them. He had the same golden color of hair, and like Dei's used to be, awfully long with a long, shiny fringe covering, this time, his right eye. The man glared down at the two. "You DO realize that Chiyo no Akasuna is good friend of mine, hmm?"

Deidara gulped and nodded. "Y-yeah. That's how you knew Sasori, un."

Sasori was nearly stunned at the fact that this man knew his grandmother. They looked to be al LEAST 20 years apart in age. How did a young man like Deidara's FATHER ever meet and old hag like Chiyo? He did have to admit though: he now knew where the blonde got his looks from. Now he wanted to meet his mother.

Dei's father stared down at the boys. "Her little stunt with the calling…was to prevent _this_." he gestured to the two.

Deidara was now more confused than ever. "To prevent _what_?"

"This…this GAY crap."

Sasori understood then. He rose to his feet, pulling Deidara up with him, and stared the man straight in the eyes, his own filled with anger at the comment. "What's the problem if we're gay?"

Deidara's father met Sasori's glare with one of his own. "Do you honestly think I want my son in a relationship that could discontinue our family heritage, hmm?"

Sasori's anger intensified. "Is that what this is about? Your 'family heritage'? That is the STUPIDEST reason I have EVER heard! You expect me to believe that shit?"

Deidara slightly cowered behind Sasori in fear of his own father, and tugged on his shirt. "Danna, cut it out, its not worth it…un…"

"You…" Deidara's father pushed the redhead aside and grabbed his son by the arm, "You did NOT just call him 'Danna', hmm!"

Deidara's eyes widened in shock at the sudden contact.

Sasori nearly karate-chopped the older blonde's arm off. "Don't you touch him!" He pulled Dei back, holding one arm in front of him like a shield. "You have NO right to hurt him! And who gives a DAMN what he calls me!"

"I do, hmm! I am NOT going to tolerate this kind of behavior from him!" the man jabbed a finger in Deidara's direction.

"You're not going to allow your own son-your own flesh and blood-to _love_ someone? What sort of parent ARE you?" Sasori scoffed.

"A parent that wants to PROTECT his son!"

"Protect me?" Deidara interjected. "Protect me… really? After all these years I've been on my own, dealing with harsh insults, depression, and beatings from other people, you FINALLY decide to involve yourself in my life and 'protect me', un? Like HELL you are!"

"Talk to me like that again, and you won't live to see another day, hmm!" the man's finger was back in Dei's face.

"I'm THIRTY-EIGHT, Dad, I can talk to you however the hell I want! I'm not a kid anymore, un!"

Deidara's father's arm fell slightly down. His face twisted into an odd look-one that seemed to be a mix of hurt and anger, with a bit of confusion. He didn't comment.

"I will never understand you, un." Deidara pushed passed Sasori, taking his place in his father's face. "In my younger years I was continually getting insults as being a "girl", or a "wussy", or a "fag". If you wanted to prevent me from being gay, where were you _then_, un?"  
Again, his father had nothing to say.  
Deidara continued. "And why are you so worried about this NOW, un? Like I said, I'm thirty-eight. Old enough to live without YOU. And I have for EIGHTEEN YEARS, un! So suck it up! Enough with this family heritage crap!" Deidara stopped ranting for a moment and composed himself, ready to end this. "Besides," he glared intently at his elder, "the TRUE Iwanii blood died along with Mom."

Deidara's father gasped in shock at the comment. The hand that held the insulting finger hastily clutched at his heart. "You…you did NOT just say that…"

"So what if I did, un? What do you care? You hated Mom anyways, un!" Deidara crossed his arms and turned away, flicking his short bangs at him.

"I loved your mother very much, hmm!"

"Loved her enough to get her pregnant then leave? Oh yeah, un. True love."

"And yet you are like me more ways than you know, hmm!" Dei's father was fuming by now.

"Guess that makes you a flaming gay, huh, un?" the younger blonde smirked.

Sasori had to stifle a laugh as the older man's face went from cherry pink to a beet red out of anger and embarrassment.

"What? It must be true! Long hair, cocky attitude, hand on the hip," Deidara pointed to his father, who instantly removed himself from that position. "Oh yeah, un. Flamingly gay."

Sasori now burst out laughing.

Deidara's father snorted. "Fine, you smart ass, hmm! For once I'll be the loving father and leave you be. Though, you WILL regret your decision, hmm. Just you wait! When you need something from your family, there will be NOTHING for you! And DON'T expect anything from my death! There will be NOTHING in my will for you! And I will make SURE of that, hmm!"

Deidara rolled his eyes. "Like I'll need anything from someone who wasn't in my life to begin with, un."

The man glared at the blonde a final time before stalking off to whence he came.

Sasori took a deep breath, now done with his fit of laughter. "Wow, and I was waiting for him to make a big scene before he left!"

"I guess he had nothing more to say, un."

"Well that's good," Sasori sat back down against the gym wall. "I'm glad that's all over with."

"Yeah…" Deidara walked over to where Sasori was and sat down next to him.

Sasori wrapped his arm around him, pulling the blonde close. "Well we also learned something else from his little visit."

Deidara looked up at the redhead in confusion again. "What, un?"

"That Chiyo-baasama and your father were working together to prevent us from seeing each other ever again." Then he added in a whisper, "I wont be talking to her anymore. Moving out first chance I get."'

Deidara nodded. "And that's why my father made my aunt move me a million miles away from here, un."

"Yeah…well at least we're together again." Sasori smiled happily. He pulled the side of the blonde's face close to his and kissed him lightly. "And it's going to stay like that, right?"

Dei smiled in approval. "Right, un!"

"Good…" Sasori smirked evilly as he pulled the blonde to the ground and lay on top of him. "Now to do to you what I meant to do twenty years ago…"

The blonde cocked his head to the side. "Wh-what's that, un?"

The redhead's smile widened. "To have hot man-sex with you!"

Deidara's face nearly burst into flames.

THE END!


End file.
